Charles & Alice Bowles

Charles Bowles, born in London, England, in 1868, was one of a family of four.   His father, William was a Cabinet Maker.

Alice Denzey born in 1865, also in London, was one of a family of thirteen.   Her father, Edwin was a coal contractor and also was involved in boat and bridge building on the River Thames.

As a young man Charles worked at the International Headquarters of the Salvation Army, a church with which he was connected from the age of eighteen.   He served as a bandsman and at times as a bandmaster.

Charles and Alice with their family left England for Canada in June, 1902.   They sailed on the "Parisian" and landed at Quebec City.   Charles had a position as groom on the estate of Senator Pope waiting for him at Cookshire, near Quebec City.

In 1904 the family moved west to homestead in Manitoba.   Following the railroad as it was laid north from Winnipeg, they made their way to the Swan River Valley and purchased a quarter section in the Big Woody District, about ten miles from the town of Swan River.   Alice, recalling her arrival at the homestead, told of walking rather fearfully along narrow planks supported by piles over the Little Woody river for a distance of fifty feet.

A dwelling of poplar logs was quickly constructed to see the family through the first winter.   It was replaced by a frame house which was later destroyed by fire.

Good crops were produced but the season was short so grains and vegetables suffered from early frosts common to the valley.   Charlie Bowles also raised stock, and frequently found work in lumber camps on the Jackfish River, or worked as a laborer whenever he could.   Groceries and other supplies were purchased in Swan River.   This required a sixteen-mile drive with horse and wagon. Until the "Ditch Road" (as it is still known locally) was surveyed and cleared they travelled via the "Pelly Trail" through spruce swamp.

For several years the district had no church or school.   When a school was finally built it was originally called "Bowlesville School" but the name was soon changed to "Big Woody School" to better reflect the area it served.   Charlie was a member of the first school board.   The Bowles family offered the hospitality of their home to Rev. Martin from nearby Kenville, who spent Saturday night with them and conducted services in the school Sunday morning.   Alice Bowles, a practical nurse, assisted many neighbours in sickness and bereavement, and was loved and respected by those she helped.

The three older sons, Edwin, Gordon and Horace, enlisted In the Canadian Army during World War I and Charles was unable to carry on farming alone.   An attack of encephalitis had left him with tremors in both hands, making certain manual tasks very difficult for him.   The family moved into town and for many years Charles Bowles was employed as janitor at the school.   Both he and his wife were closely identified with the local Salvation Army Corps during the fifteen years it operated in Swan River and Charles was for a time its Commandant.   Charlie also became the town's first bandmaster.

Charles Bowles died while visiting his daughter Lillian Doris Smith at Fort Vermillion, Alberta in 1949.   He had been pre-deceased by a daughter, Ivy who died in infancy, a son Lionel in 1925 and his wife Alice in 1945.

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